Watch: PM Modi's Visit To Marseille At A Glance

Marseille: Prime Minister Narendra Modi , who is enroute to the United States for the second and most crucial leg of his current visit, tweeted a video showing highlights from his Marseille visit in France. In Marseille, which is significant to India's freedom struggle, PM Modi remembered freedom fighter Veer Savarkar as the city marked his great escape from British authorities in 1910 when he was being taken to India from London and paid tributes to Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the first and second world wars.   

France gets second Indian consulate in Marseille

PM Modi visited Marseille along with French President Emmanuel Macron and jointly inaugurated the Indian Consulate here. The two leaders were welcomed with the sound of dhols by the Indian community.

PM Modi travelled to Marseille in Macron's Presidential aircraft 

“After the CEOs’ Forum in Paris, PM Modi and Macron travelled together to Marseille in the French Presidential aircraft, showing exceptional gesture by Macron. It is emblematic not only of the deep personal trust between the two leaders, but also of the remarkable confidence that they have in each other and that really characterises the relationship as well,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a Special briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs on PM’s visit to France.

"The two leaders also held discussions on board the aircraft and the relations between the countries reached new heights," Vikram Misri said.

What PM Modi-Macron discussed onboard flight to Marseille  

Further briefing the media on Modi-Macron meeting, Vikram Misri said, “They held discussions on board the aircraft and one could say that India-France relations touched new heights, literally! These discussions on board the aircraft were on number of issues continued upon landing in Marseille where the two leaders were joined by their larger delegations and the discussions took place over the course of dinner that was hosted by Macron in honour of PM Modi. These discussions covered the entire gamut of our deep and diverse strategic partnership. The two leaders reviewed progress in the areas of defence, in the area of space, civil nuclear cooperation, and in the areas of health, as well as people-to-people cooperation between the two sides."

“The two leaders appreciated recent progress that has taken place in all of these areas. In keeping with both the Horizon 2047 Roadmap and in the defence areas in particular,” Misri added.

"President Macron visited India last year at the 75th Republic Day on 26th January as the chief guest... The current visit of the Prime Minister has two components as you are aware, he was here to co-chair the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit in Paris yesterday and then there was a bilateral component to the visit both in Paris and in Marseille yesterday as well as today. The last couple of days have been packed with a number of engagements... Prime Minister met with the Vice President of the United States JD Vance," Misri further mentioned.